Chapter 76 *
Scarlett's POV
I leaned against the wall. Blood still trickling down my arm. But I forced myself to focus. "After the Cosmos-1 research was shut down, my parents moved to a rural town. Became country doctors." I kept my voice steady. "They still had positions at the research institute in Washington D.C. But they lived quietly. Away from everything."
Patterson was watching me carefully. Not convinced yet.
"I grew up in Cedar Heights. High-end residential community."
"Lots of people know about Cedar Heights."
"True." I shifted my weight. Tried to ignore the cramping in my abdomen. "But not everyone knows about the neighbors."
"Dr. Oliver Sutton lived next door," I continued. "He loved rare roses. Spent his entire salary on them. Had a whole greenhouse in his backyard."
Patterson's eyes narrowed.
"His favorite was a black rose variety. 'Midnight Mystique.' He talked about it constantly. Even brought cuttings to the lab to take care of them there."
"Dr. Leonard Sawyer lived two houses down," I continued. "He had a white cat. Named Snowstorm. His late wife had left it to him. That cat hated everyone except Leonard and me."
Patterson's mouth opened slightly.
"I grew up with his son, Kevin. We were childhood friends. Played together every day after school."
I paused. Let that sink in.
"And Dr. Felix Ogden. He lived on the corner. Always wore the same brown cardigan. Even in summer."
The silence stretched out.
Patterson stared at me. His face had gone pale.
"These are all top scientists," I said quietly. "Low profile. Mysterious. Under strict government protection."
I pushed off the wall. Took a step toward him.
"Outsiders might know their names. Might even know they worked on classified projects. But their personal lives? Their hobbies? The names of their pets?"
I looked him in the eye.
"Only someone who lived there would know that. Only family."
Patterson's grip on the metal case loosened. His hands were shaking.
"You..." His voice cracked. "You really are Simon Quinn's daughter."
"I can take you to Washington D.C. if you still don't believe me." I kept my tone even. "Oliver, Leonard, Felix. They're all still alive. Still working. You can ask them yourself."
I took another step forward.
"You don't know me. Fine. But you know them. You trust them. They can verify everything I just said."
Patterson slumped against the wall. The fight went out of him completely.
"Jesus Christ." He let out a long breath. "Marina Quinn."
"Scarlett," I corrected. "I go by Scarlett now."
He nodded. Barely.
Then he looked up at me. His expression had changed. Less defensive. More... defeated.
"I was just a graduate student when we worked on Cosmos-1," he said quietly. "Leonard Sawyer was my advisor."
I felt something click into place.
Of course. That's how he avoided the surveillance. That's how he slipped through the cracks.
"I never got near the core experiments," Patterson continued. "Just assisted with data analysis. Basic lab work. But I learned the principles. The theory behind it."
He smiled. Bitter and sad.
"After everything fell apart, they monitored the senior researchers. Watched them like hawks. But me? I was nobody. Just some kid who'd filed paperwork and cleaned beakers."
"So you kept working," I said. "On your own."
He nodded. "I was trying to recreate what we lost."
"Why?" I asked. "Why keep going? Why risk everything?"
"Because the research was too important to abandon." His voice was fierce now. "You don't understand. What we discovered. What we could have accomplished if we'd had more time—"
"I understand perfectly." I cut him off. "I understand better than you think."
He looked at me. Really looked at me.
"Is this personal research?" I asked. "Or does someone else know about it? Someone backing you?"
Patterson's jaw clenched. He looked away.
"Answer me."
"Why should I?" His voice turned cold. "What gives you the right to interrogate me?"
"Because I need to know. Because if someone else is involved—"
"You'll what? Kill them too?" He gestured at the bodies on the floor. "Add them to your body count?"
I felt anger flash through me.
"I didn't want any of this," I said. My voice came out harder than I intended. "I came here for a prenatal checkup. That's all. Just a routine appointment."
Patterson blinked. Surprised.
"But now I'm standing here covered in blood. And God knows what's happening to my baby." My voice cracked slightly. "So yes. I want answers. I deserve answers."
He stared at me for a long moment.
Then he spoke. His voice was quiet. Cautious.
"What capacity are you asking in? As Dr. Quinn's daughter? Or as... something else?"
I rubbed my shoulder. The wound was still bleeding. My whole arm felt hot and swollen.
"As his daughter," I said finally. "Just his daughter."
I met his eyes.
"What happens in this room stays in this room. When we walk out that door, we're strangers. I don't know you. You don't know me."
Patterson studied my face. Looking for deception. For hidden motives.
Whatever he saw must have satisfied him.
He nodded slowly.
"Don't dig too deep," he said. His voice was heavy. Sad. "Some things are better left buried."
"I have my reasons for asking," I said. Kept my expression neutral. "You just need to tell me the truth."
Patterson was quiet for a long moment. Then he spoke.
"How much do you know about Cosmos-1?"
"How much do you know?"
He looked at me. Then at the metal case in his hands.
When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?"
My heart skipped a beat.